Superman is Dead is the name of a Bali punk band that is familiar to a lot of us who live here. I have been to 1 punk do at the Hard Rock Cafe when I first got to Bali. It always struck me as strange that people in developing countries who are struggling so hard to get ahead, have time to act like they don’t care.
Punk bands from Canada and Sao Paulo Brasil were alos in the 87-minute documentary called The Punks Are Alright: A Punk Rock Safari From the First World to The Third.

Walking along Poppies II in Kuta on any night you might catch a glimpse of some punk like guys and girls. In between Internet Outpost and McWilliams is a punk joint that does, on occassion attract a crowd of young Balinese people. I stay well clear as the energy is a recipe for trouble. Anyhow, great to see a local Balinese band doing it their way and achieving some success. They are apparently interested in issues such as the effect of tourism on Balinese culture. Maybe I should interview them.

39 thoughts on “Superman is dead: Bali punk band in documentary”

hi nick, i would love to read an interview with them… i know that place, great music but sometimes lit bit too loud 😉
and i’m also glad to hear the news about superman is dead. i love them, great band!!
btw how is nightlife in kuta right now eg. paddys, mbargo, bounty… still exist?? my news from people, working in there are not really good …. hope soon everything is normal again in bali!!
take care and thanks for your great site!!!
maja from jerman

“It always struck me as strange that people in developing countries who are struggling so hard to get ahead, have time to act like they don’t care.”

It shouldn’t. Punk rock isn’t about not caring it is about voicing your concerns about your present state and acting upon it.
Bands in third world are not ignorant to our affluence (at their expense) and this would (should) make them pissed off and give them a whole arsenal to write about while still making it at their day jobs which bring in often less than 60USD a month (about what i make in the first two and a half hours of my work day).

By all reports, even though S.I.D. is signed to a major label they have taken their community building skills and kept on supporting their Bali brethren by running a recording studio, and a label as well as supporting other grassroots businesses. this is punk rock in action at its best—co-opting the ‘man’ and turning around and staying true to their roots, as opposed to “acting like they don’t care”.

Interview them. The dudes i met from that band are fine folks and have alot to say.

superman is dead is one of the great punk band ever!!! musicnya gak cengeng kayak lagu2 melo jaman sekarang. sayang suara vocalistnya kadang sdkt gak terkontrol pas in the middle of the show, but it’s OK. jerinx,bobby,eka you guys still the best!!!

If you know about punk and origins then you can understand why punk works for all youth no matter where they are from. Once you start to realize that you have no future and your parrents are idiots and the world sucks. what is left but to howl at the moon with a few chords behind you?